Author: Autobiography

Source: Fasting and Its Rulings

Translator: Abu Maryam Isma’eel Alarcon

Published: Monday 3rd August, 2015

My Name and Lineage:

Usaamah Ibn 'Abd-il-Lateef Ibn Mahmood Al-Qoosee Al-Hajaajee

My Family Lineage:

It traces back to Abul-Hajaaj Al-Aqsaree, whose name was Yusuf Ibn 'Abd-ir-Raheem Ibn Ghazee Al-Qurshee. [1] May Allaah free him of the polytheistic and innovatory practices that occur at his gravesite.

My Birth:

I was born in the morning of the Day of 'Arafah in 1373H (7/8/1954) in Cairo, Egypt.

My Upbringing:

I was born in Egypt, in the Muski area in Shiyaadah Al-Munaasarah [2] behind Daar Al-Kutub. [3] And I was brought up in the house of my mother's father for the period of a year. Then my father moved to a residence in the Hadaa'iq Al-Qubbah area. This is where I grew up and spent the length of my youth, adolescence and early adulthood. During this time, I pursued my general grade-levels studies in the Nuqraashi School, which have the pattern of primary level (6 years), then secondary level (3 years), and then high school level (3 years). Thereafter, I obtained entrance into a college for medicine in the University of 'Ain Shams, where I remained for five years studying medicine. During this period in time, I learned Tajweed from some of my colleagues at school, and I memorized what I was able to of the Qur'aan. The Correct Path of Islaam was not wholly clear to me at that time due to the large amount of Hizbees (partisans), activists, Takfeerees, Sufis and so on that were around me. Then I received the opportunity to make 'Umrah along with my classmates on a college trip, during the month of Ramadaan in 1397H (1977 CE). So this served as the start of my search for knowledge and my being guided to the path of the Salaf As-Saalih.

My Search for Knowledge:

In Makkah, I met some students of knowledge from Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world. In turn, they introduced me to some of the scholars and mashaayikh, and I began to understand that there was something called talab-ul-'ilm (Seeking Knowledge). So I attended some classes in the Haram at Makkah, taught by Shaykh Badee'-ud-Deen Ar-Raashidee As-Sindee, the Muhaddith of the land of Sind, may Allaah have mercy on him. I also visited his house and his library, which was filled with remarkable books and non-printed manuscripts. After Ramadaan, I moved to the city of Madeenah and there I met Shaykh Abee 'Abd-ir-Rahmaan Muqbil Ibn Haadee Al-Waadi'ee, may Allaah preserve him, the Muhaddith of the lands of Yemen. At that time, he was studying in the advanced-levels section in the Islaamic University of Madeenah. And he was very close to finishing his treatise on the two books "Al-Ilzaamaat" and "At-Tatabbu'" of Imaam Ad-Daaraqutnee, may Allaah have mercy on him. I began to attend his classes on the book Jaami' At-Tirmidhee, but it was as if I was hearing mysterious words and riddles!

Then I traveled to Qaseem and there I met the Shaykh, the Haafidh, the Muhaddith of the lands of Najd, 'Abdullaah Ad-Duwaish, may Allaah have mercy on him. And I attended some of his gatherings in his home in the city of Buraidah. I was amazed by his abstinence (of this world) his humbleness, his diligence, his striving and his patience with seeking and acquiring knowledge (by reading and studying). This was such that he almost lost his eyesight (because of his studies) while in the prime of his youth, and it was to the extent that when I saw him I imagined he was much older than me, whereas he was my same age. At that time, he was memorizing the Six Books (of the Sunnah) [4]completely with their chains of narration and their texts. And he was at the point of completing his memorization of the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad. And at the same time, he was studying Imaam Muslim's introduction to his Saheeh. Meanwhile, I was amazed and overcome at what I saw and heard. I could not get myself to believe that such a person existed in our world. After this, I returned to Madeenah and Makkah and there I would frequent the classes of our Shaykh, Shaykh Muqbil at his house in Madeenah time after time.

During the time I spent in Saudi Arabia, I resolved on making two decisions, of which only one of them came through. The first was to abandon continuing my studies in the field of medicine and to instead preoccupy myself with studying the Islaamic sciences. And the second was to stay permanently in Madeenah, the city of Allaah's Messenger, but this did not come through. So I returned to Egypt in 1398H (1978 CE) because Saudi Arabia did not grant me the iqaamah (residential status) to remain there. Nevertheless, I did not go back on my other resolution to study the Islaamic sciences, especially since I had gotten a taste of its sweetness during that year.

I also forgot to mention that while making Hajj that year, Allaah enabled me to meet the Shaykh, the Imaam, the Muhaddith of the lands of Shaam, rather the Muhaddith of the whole world, Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen Al-Albaanee, may Allaah have mercy on him, several times in both Makkah and Madeenah. This included one time in which I saw him face to face at the place where he was staying in Madeenah. This was during the month of Thul-Hijjah, 1397AH. I had seen him before about a year or two ago - I don't recall now - when the Shaykh came to Egypt for purposes of giving Da'wah, due to which he gave a number of lectures. However, I was far away from him, sitting in the back of the masjid, and I was not able to get a good look at him. Also, another thing that my Lord blessed me with that year I made the Islaamic Hajj was that I memorized much of the Qur'aan, such that I completed a month of memorizing and I had memorized close to eight (8) ajzaa (parts) of the Qur'aan in a month.

After returning to Egypt, I married and then moved to Yemen towards the end of the year 1399H (1979 CE), when news reached me that our Shaykh, Abu 'Abd-ir-Rahmaan (Muqbil Ibn Haadee) returned to his country of Yemen. So I traveled to him along with my wife, and I stayed with him for almost a complete year drinking from his fountain of knowledge, night and day. And I would not separate from him except when I had to sleep at night. This was the happiest year of my life, in which I accompanied the Shaykh for almost a complete year, seeking to study Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree under him. And he (Shaykh Muqbil) agreed to this, so this was the beginning of the class, which the Shaykh continued to teach after many years, even after my journey from Yemen to Egypt in 1405H (1985).

During this year, I would attend all of the Shaykh's classes - the class on Tafseer Ibn Katheer after Fajr, the class on Jaami' At-Tirmidhee in the forenoon, the class on Sunan Abee Dawood after Dhuhr, the class on 'Aqeedah At-Tahaawiyyah with its explanation by Ibn Abee Al-'Izz and the explanation of Qatr-un-Nadaa of Ibn Hishaam from after 'Asr to just before Maghrib. Then there was a class on Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree between Maghrib and 'Ishaa, and a class on Saheeh Muslim after 'Ishaa. And apart form this, I would research hadeeth from the books of the Sunnah in the Shaykh's library in between these classes every time I got the chance to do so. And I would ask the Shaykh on what I found difficulty with concerning chains of narration, narrators and the ahaadeeth. After the year's end, some people from the neighboring towns, close to the area of the Shaykh, came requesting for one of his students to go and teach them and their children. The Shaykh selected me for this task, so I traveled to their town called Wadi Al-Kunaa, and I stayed with them for the length of five years, teaching and acquiring what knowledge of the Islamic sciences I could from my studies of the Books of the Sunnah and my research with them.

I returned to Egypt in 1405H (1985). During the time I had spent in Yemen, which was six years in total, I wrote a book about the Adhaan. I finished transcribing it into printable form when I reached Egypt and the book was printed in 1408H (1987). During this time, I was already back in Cairo, learning, teaching and spreading this blessed Salafee Da'wah as much as I was able to.

In Ramadaan of 1418H (1999), I made 'Umrah and during this time, I met Shaykh Rabee' Ibn Haadee Al-Madkhalee, may Allaah preserve him, in Madeenah. Also, my Lord blessed me by allowing me the ability to see Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-'Uthaimeen in the Haram (Ka'bah) of Makkah, who was teaching a class on the second floor. Then, my Lord added to my blessing by allowing me to meet with Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez Ibn 'Abdillaah Ibn Baaz in his office in Makkah. This was a private meeting that was held on the evening of the 26th day of Ramadaan, after 'Asr to just before Maghrib. This was the first time that I saw the Shaykh and the last time, may Allaah have mercy on him. On this trip, I also met the noble brother, Shaykh 'Alee Ibn Hasan Al-Halabee for the first time, also in the Haram. And I also met the noble brother Dr. Baasim Ibn Faisal Al-Jawabirah and the noble brother, Dr. Khaalid Ibn 'Alee Al-'Anbaree.

Then Allaah enabled me to make another 'Umrah in the month of Rajab 1420 H, during which time I met many scholars and students of knowledge. Among them was Shaykh 'Abdul-Muhsin Ibn Hamd Al-'Abbaad Al-Badr, who I saw in his classes and I also visited him in his home in Madeenah. Also, there was the noble shaikh, Faalih Ibn Naafi' Al-Harbee and Shaykh Dr. Ibraaheem Ibn 'Aamir Ar-Ruhailee, who invited me for dinner with him, where I also met with Shaykh Dr. Saalih As-Suhaimee. During this journey, I also met with the noble brother 'Abdul-Malik Ibn Ahmad Ramadaanee Al-Jazaa'iree in Madeenah. Then in Makkah, I visited our Shaykh, Rabee' Ibn Haadee Al-Madkhalee and there I met Shaykh 'Umar Bazmool. I also attended the classes of Shaykh Saalih Al-'Abood and Shaykh Husain Aali Shaykh in the Prophet's Mosque.

And when in Makkah, I attended the classes on Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree given by Shaykh Wasiyyullaah 'Abaasee.

From the people of knowledge whom I met in Egypt were Shaykh Muhammad 'Alee 'Abdur-Raheem, rahimahullaah, the previous president of Jamaa'at Ansaar As-Sunnah Al-Muhammadiyyah in Egypt, and also Shaykh Muhammad Ibn 'Abdil-Wahhaab Ibn Marzooq Al-Bannaa, may Allaah preserve him.

Allaah also blessed me to meet many people of knowledge and students of knowledge, other than those mentioned above and who carry the Da'wah in the east and the west, the amount of which I cannot account for due to their large number. And Allaah is sufficient for me and for them, and He alone is the One who guides to the Straight Path.

My Books:

The Book of AdhaanFasting and Its Rulings (which is the present book before you)Guard your Covenants

Written by Abu Haatim Usaamah Ibn 'Abdil-Lateef Al-Qoosee at the beginning of Rabee'-ul-Awwal 1421H at the request of the brothers in charge of SSNA.

Footnotes

[1] This is how Adh-Dhahabee mentioned it in his book Siyar A'alaam An-Nubalaa (pg. 23-148) and he described him as being the "Big One", the "Zaahid."

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